Tuesday, December 27, 2011

On this week after Christmas, Vin Pica gives us more on VHF radios. Read this, then go get one as a gift to yourself...Guest blog byVincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

Make every effort to keep magnetic material, such as knives, watches and tools clear of your magnetic compass. Every compass card has a small magnet attached to the back. And these things love to swing over toward anything metal or electric.

This plants an error called “magnetic deviation” in your compass. Forget the dopey movies where the compass swings like a roulette wheel. Uh-uh. You won’t even notice the subtle shift of the compass card toward the object of attraction. And, before you know it, you’re lost.

Follow these steps to make sure you are steering the right course to get to your destination. Note: These steps are temporary and if you will be cruising, you will want to hire a marine compass adjuster, or learn to do this yourself. In any event, know the steps below for safety’s sake!

Last week, I wrote the following in the column about sounding smart on the radio:

“Unless you know the cell phone number of every boater in your vicinity, your only source of help is your radio. You don’t have one, you say? Stop reading and check yourself in someplace because that is simply nutty. Your radio is likely to be your only source of help and you go to sea without one? Over a couple of hundred dollars? And Westmarine for one will give you a three-year warranty on the radio… Come on, Bunky, where else can we skimp with such potentially disastrous results?” (DailyBoater.com: Sounding Smart on the Radio)

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

It's boat parade time, especially in California where several lighted boat parades are going on this weekend...

One of the winners in last year's Newport Beach Boat Parade. Photo: christmasboatparade.com

Once again we are not discussing boat shows, but instead boat parades going on this weekend. This weekend we have found boat parades scheduled in the Bahamas and California, including what may be the biggest lighted boat parade in the world - the Newport Beach Boat Parade (pictured).

Here's the run down on some of the boat parades happening this weekend and next...

Is sailing over the horizon more than just a dream, now with gas (and diesel) prices out of sight? Do you want to know the most essential things to look for before plunking down your cash on a cruising sailboat?

There is a natural tendency to shy away from the unfamiliar, especially when you can’t get the words back. Remember the first time you were faced with a phone message machine: “leave your answer after the beep” – BEEP! Now what? Even today, that beep can strike fear into the hearts of some. Now, how about multiplying that a hundred-fold to everyone tuned to channel 16…?

Monday, December 12, 2011

The start of leg 2 from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi. Photo: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race

The second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race began over the weekend in Cape Town, South Africa. Leg 2 sees the fleet head out from Cape Town and they will eventually
arrive at Abu Dhabi around New Year's Day. Read on for some great shots of the boats and the beautiful background of Table Mountain on the first day of the second leg of this nine month, 39,000 nautical mile contest.

Every weekend at the Daily Boater we choose a song to help get you into that nautical state of mind, even if for just one moment. We like to think it helps a little if you can't get out on the water. We call it our Sea Song of the Week.

This week we shopped local, and found a song made in New England that is about as nautical as it gets. From the title of the song, to the video, to virtually every line of the lyrics, this ballad is truly one to put you in an aquatic state of mind...

Thursday, December 08, 2011

This week's boating event wrap-up is dedicated to boat parades, and there are plenty of them this weekend...

An entry in last year's Winterfest Boat Parade. Photo courtesy of winterfestparade.com

We typically talk about boat shows going on each week at this time, but the pendulum has swung away from boat shows and towards boat parades. Over the next couple of weeks there are boat parades of all sizes around the country - especially throughout Florida and California, where the weather is warm enough to decorate a boat with Christmas lights and float it across a harbor or through a canal or river, wearing only shorts and a t-shirt - (and hopefully at least an inflatable PFD).

Here's the run down on some of the boat parades happening this weekend and next...

Photo (video capture) courtesy of U.S.C.G. Taken by Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles 8/7/10.

Are you sure that you have the best portable extinguishers onboard to battle a deadly fire? Do your crew and passengers know their locations and how to use them?

Marine fires are the number one threat to cruising boats anywhere in the world. You have nowhere to run and you're loaded with fuel, batteries, propane, alcohol, wood, plastic and fabric. You need to understand this deadly enemy in order to fight and destroy it...

When I wrote about the need and use of a VHF radio a few summers ago, I noted that if you didn’t have a radio aboard that you were risking your life over a couple of hundred dollars – it was “nutty” not to have a radio aboard. Nonetheless, many boaters still don’t! And those skippers rely on their cell phone for emergency assistance. OK, I guess you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.

Up here in the northeast, where we had our first winter storm more than a month ago, it is sometimes easy to forget that people are still boating in places like Florida and Texas. Ah, but we can dream. And just because these folks were smart or lucky enough to live where they can boat year-round, doesn't mean they don't run into trouble once in a while. And just like the boating incidents we talk about throughout the spring and summer all around North America, there are often boating safety lessons to be learned when these things happen...

Saturday, December 03, 2011

The Sea Song of the Week returns with a song to kick off Salon Nautique International de Paris...

(Jimmy Buffett photo from http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com)

Every weekend at the Daily Boater we pick a tune to help get you into that nautical state of mind, even if you can't get out on the water. We call it the Sea Song of the Week.

Yes, it's been more than a few weeks since our last Sea Song of the Week, but when we noticed that the Paris Boat Show was kicking off this weekend, we couldn't get this song out of our head and were inspired to reignite this ritual... We apologize in advance that the version of the video we found for this week's song plays automatically when you visit this page, and we hope your speakers are turned down.

Thursday, December 01, 2011

There are boat shows happening in Florida, France, Louisiana, boat parades all over the world, and more...

A view of the St. Petersburg Show. Photo Copyright Show Management

Did you miss our boat show report last week? Obviously with Thanksgiving, there weren't many boat shows to mention except for a couple of events outside the U.S. Today's post is completely different, with boat shows in four locations that you would definitely enjoy, and boat parades all over the world...

By the way, now that it's December, you may feel like you're too busy to attend a
boat show with all that you have to do for the holidays. Well, if you
have any other boaters on your shopping list, we hope we can make your
life a little easier with our Daily Boater Holiday Gift Guide,
featuring several nautical gifts from Daily Boater contributors and
partners, all available for less than $50 and delivered in time for Christmas.

Okay, now that we've bought you some time, let's take a look at this and next week's boating events...

A basic First Aid kit like this is a good place to start! Image: redcrossstore.org

About 30+ years ago, while trying to sail out of Hurricane Alberto’s way in the North Atlantic, a rogue wave hit us and I went air-borne. Catching the side of my head on a brass runner, I managed not to be thrown below at a high rate of speed. Of course, it didn’t do wonders for the side of my head.

I was crewing with a new captain for the first time and, when the Chief Medical Officer Marty Boorstein grabbed the scotch because there was no alcohol in the medical kit, I started to worry that more was at work here than Alberto. This column is about the advances since...

Monday, November 28, 2011

Wondering what to buy boating enthusiasts on your holiday shopping list? We have a few boat and yacht gift ideas for you...

In honor of Cyber Monday, we thought we'd share our boating gift ideas one more time in case you missed them last week. With all items available for less than $50, the Daily Boater Holiday Gift Guide highlights several unique nautical gifts your favorite boater will love - many of them can even be personalized with a boat name, and all of them can be enjoyed both on and off the boat...

Friday, November 25, 2011

We've got the Black Friday edition of World on Water, and other Sailing news for this Black Friday, 2011...

Today's episode of World on Water will get you caught up on all the recent races, events and awards in the international world of sailing, and there are plenty. We also have breaking news from the Volvo Ocean Race that we just received moments ago. Lastly, since today is Black Friday and all, don't forget to check out the 2nd Annual Daily Boater Holiday Gift Guide, which this year features several nautical gifts you can buy for under $50...

When you need nautical gift ideas for the boating enthusiasts on your shopping list, the annual Daily Boater Holiday Gift Guide is your best bet. And in our second annual edition of the gift guide (published Thanksgiving Weekend 2011, amidst challenging economic times) we've made a conscious effort to keep our selections affordable for everyone.

This year's Daily Boater Holiday Gift Guide is exclusively comprised of items for boaters under $50.

Even with that price cap, we found seven unique nautical gifts your favorite boater will love - some can even be personalized with your gift recipient's boat name, and all of them can be enjoyed either on or off the boat...

Boat brake, insurance policy, or lifesaver. Call it what you wish, but not many sailboat components are as ignored or forgotten about as your anchor, anchor line, anchor chain, anchor shackles, and anchor thimbles.

Forget the paper insurance that covers your boat hull and components. Paper never held a boat in a storm, enabled you to pull yourself off of a sandbar, or saved you from disaster inside a crowded, busy marina when your engine conked out. …

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Sail Magazine’s 2012 Best Boats Awards were announced yesterday in multiple categories...

Farr 400 One Design Wins the Performance 30ft and Over Category.Photo courtesy of farr400.com

SAIL Magazine has announced the recipients of its annual Best Boats Awards for 2012. Sail's judges regularly examine the nominees on the docks of the big sailing-focused boat shows, including Newport and Annapolis, and test many of the finalists before choosing the winners. We noticed the contest is sponsored by Raymarine, which probably keeps the pressure of advertiser influence minimized. Also of note is that last year's category of "The Green Award" is absent for 2012 - Not sure why.

Whew! What an extraordinary time this is to be fan of sailing. This weekend alone, winners were crowned in the America's Cup World Series and the RC44 World Championships, the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers kicked off, and racers in both the Clipper Round the World Race and the Volvo Ocean Race are neck and neck...

Friday, November 18, 2011

The latest edition of World on Water, the action-packed boating TV show that covers sailing action around the world, is now available on First Boat...

Watch this new episode of World on Water and you'll be caught up on all the recent races, events and awards in the international world of sailing. Today's show, released Friday, November 18, 2011, features the following sailing action from the UK and from around the world...

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Americas Cup World Series Championships in San Diego; boat shows this weekend in Berlin, Florida, Australia and more...

Each week we tell you about all the coming weekend's boating events, and this weekend there are plenty to report, including an exciting America's Cup World Series event in San Diego, and boat shows in Florida, UAE, Australia and Berlin.

Earlier this week, two Americans washed up in a life boat on a Boca Raton beach three days after their 41 foot Hatteras Yacht sank en route to the Bahamas...

On a trip such as the one this boat was on, a few boating safety items may have helped these boaters get rescued sooner. For example, an EPIRB and a ditch bag packed with a portable VHF radio and something more nutritious than chocolate chip cookies. A float plan might have got somebody looking for them. Not trying to play armchair quarterback, or should we say armchair captain, but these are important safety concerns that all boaters should think about before going out on the open sea...

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

We've explored the risks of getting shocked at the dock. Now, Captain John shares some easy-to-follow tips to safely handle your shoreside power and avoid electrical shock.

Guest blog by Captain JohnToday's post is an excerpt that Captain John shared with the Daily Boater from his book, Seamanship Secrets, published by International Marine/ McGraw-Hill. You find more of Captain John's seamanship and safety articles on his popular boating education website SkipperTips.com

Use extra caution anytime you need to hook up to or disconnect from shoreside power. At the Chapman School of Seamanship, we used a simple 4 step process to keep students injury free and costly boat equipment safe from surges or electrical failure.

Follow these easy steps to keep dockside living smooth, easy and worry-free.

When you hook up or disconnect from shore power, make the prevention of electrical shock your number one goal…

When we wrote about Electric Shock Drowning, we were also setting the table for a related and more common problem – what is called Galvanic Corrosion. The same elemental forces that could translate into ESD will definitely create an environment whereby your boat’s metals can “melt away”...

Monday, November 14, 2011

Bad luck and big waves combine to leave several boaters in need of rescue...

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Stephen Lehmann.

Over the past few days, there have been a few boating rescues worth reporting on, as well as a tragic turn to the normally fun and exciting power boat races in Key West. Hopefully by sharing these stories from Texas and Florida we can help at least one person be a safer boater the next time they head out on the water...

Each Thursday we tell you about all the coming weekend's boating events, and this weekend there are plenty to report, including an exciting America's Cup World Series event in San Diego, and boat shows from Florida to New Zealand.

I got snookered one night when I confused a lighted buoy for a light structure. Both aids showed similar light characteristics and were within 100 yards of each other.

As we proceeded south, we kept the flashing light ahead just off the starboard bow. Suddenly, our spotlight picked up the reflective tape of the light, 50 yards off the port bow!

We made a sharp left turn at the last moment to leave the light structure to starboard. We were high up on a flying bridge that night, looking down into the water, and the light structure got lost in the shore lights.

From this incident was born the concept of S.T.O.P. It’s easy to use and works almost anywhere…

Obviously, the most top-of-mind danger that all mariners face is drowning. We live, work and play in a marine environment - a hostile marine environment, if one is not careful. And, even you are careful, things happen.
This column is about that...

The first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race - which spans nine months and 39,000 nautical miles - began in Alicante, Spain this past weekend. Before the winner is decided in Galway, Ireland, in July of 2012, the teams will be tested by many trials and tribulations, but they probably didn't expect to face so much adversity in the first 24 hours.

The following videos give you an inside, onboard look at the race over the past couple of days, and you won't want to miss them - there was some serious action...

Friday, November 04, 2011

Where are the best marinas in the United States? See which marinas were honored this year...

Harbour Town Yacht Basin in Hilton Head, SC, is one of Marinalife's 2011 contest winners

Once again, boat owners across the US have spoken. The winners of the second annual Best Marina Contest were announced this week by Marinalife, and if you've visited any the winners' locations, you won't be surprised by the outcome. Categories included "Best Transient Marina" as well as "Best Customer Service".

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Just a few, but they're big ones... International boat shows begin this weekend in Spain and China...

Photo courtesy of the Salón Náutico website, salonnautico.com

Each and every Thursday we tell you about all the weekend's boat shows and nautical events, and there are a couple of good ones this weekend. Unfortunately, coming off the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last weekend, there are not that many shows this weekend; exhibitors are catching their breath and catching up from that huge event. But this weekend's shows in China and Spain will not disappoint. We also have boat show news from Florida's event and about a canceled show in the UK.

Increase throttle speed and your small sailboat diesel engine should accelerate like a stallion on steroids.But what if it doesn’t?

Unlike their power boat cousins, sailboat engines often get under-used. You see, diesel engines love to be run and run hard. Most sailboat owners use their diesels to putt in and out of a marina slip, tie up alongside a fuel pier, or charge their marine batteries—all at idle speed.

Check these five common trouble areas first if your engine hesitates when you “throttle up”…

Editor's note: with the freak winter storm that hit the Northeast this Halloween weekend, we thought it was a good idea to remind you about the importance of life jackets, especially in cold water boating. This article from Vin Pica covers life jacket laws and the basics. Check it out...

As you've seen, we've written a fair number of times about how life-jackets save lives, such as yours. But the state of New York upped the ante recently - and it was well over-do...

Every Thursday we tell you about all the weekend's boat shows and nautical events, but this weekend is special. Not just because it's Halloween weekend, but because one of the largest and most influential boat shows of the year has just kicked off in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It happens on or around the last weekend of every October. Today we're taking a look at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show as well as the other nautical events going on this weekend, including China and Texas.